Friday, March 25, 2011

In the wake of the 9.0 Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster in Japan,WorldHope Corps is supporting

Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope (CRASH)--a network of Christians ("believers without borders") doing disaster response in Japan and around the world.

WorldHope Corps is supporting the good work of CRASH financially, and I urge you to do the same, either directly http://crashjapan.com/ or indirectly through a tax-deductible donation to WorldHope Corps. www.worldhopecorps.org

CRASH equips and prepares churches and missions to be there to help their communities when disasters strike and coordinates Christian volunteers to work with local ministries in the event of a disaster. They are available to conduct Disaster Volunteer Training seminars (DVT) for churches, schools or missions with a focus on pastoral crisis intervention and practical volunteer leadership.

CRASH has produced a child-safe place trauma intervention curriculum called “Operation SAFE” that is used to help children in evacuee centers recover from trauma. HAPI Shalom Zone in Haiti used this resource last year in Haiti after the earthquake.

As a certified field traumatologist, I participated in Operation SAFE last year in the aftermath of the Earthquake in Haiti, and it was a highly effective program that help kids feel safe after the quake. My friend, Jonathan Wilson, directs SAFE and designed the program that applies a defusing method of field traumatology to children affected by disaster. Operation SAFE

Jonathan Wilson, director of SAFE and one of the leaders of CRASH, is a compassionate and competent advocate of "believers without borders" with whom I worked last year in Haiti, and I commend his work to you. For more info: What is CRASH?

WorldHope Corps is supporting his work financially, and I urge you to do so too, either directly or indirectly through a tax-deductible donation to WorldHope Corps. www.worldhopecorps.org

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Our long awaited HopeHouse project is underway, and may be built and ready for occupancy before the end of the year--with God's help and your participation.

Building on the success of our HopeHomes,Hope Scholarship and Hope Tailoring School programs in Malawi, and seeking ways to sustain the good work of orphan care, educational support, and women's economic empowerment, the Mzuzu United Methodist Church proposed to WorldHope Corps the need for a Hope House almost two years ago.

Such a ministry house will provide adequate space for community outreach to orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC), WorldHope Corps ministry office, and rooms for rent to generate income to sustain the Hope Scholarship program for orphaned youth.

The proposed Hope Home will be jointly owned by WorldHope Corps and the United Methodist Church in Mzuzu . Income generated from the building will provide Hope scholarships for orphaned and vulnerable youth in the community. The total cost to build the Hope House is approximately $30,000.

We've already raised $20,000. The land on which the Hope House will be built has already been purchased near the main road into Mzuzu, Malawi. We need another $10,000 to complete the construction, and another $5,000 to furnish the house, open the door, and begin the program.

We are seeking $5,000-$10,000 level sponsors whose names and gifts will be listed on the dedicatory plaque. Gifts of other amounts will be used to furnish the home.

If you are interested in making a pledge or giving a gift, I would love to hear from you before I leave for Malawi in May.